Good and evil are not alien to man. He is doubtless
equipped with a sharp vision to separate the former from the latter. More often
than not, he strikes the right choice between right and wrong. Even where he
fails, he is found to have another good sense. This sense helps him appreciate
the correct choice when someone else distinguishes between good and evil. While
he appears to be instinctively inclined to good in order to personify it, he
seems to experience strong repulsion to evil – so much so that he wants to
eliminate it altogether. His adherence to good makes him feel relieved,
contented, and humble. And his submission to evil causes him to feel low,
embarrassed and arrogant. However, perpetual adherence to either virtue or vice
determines the course of his life before too long. Little does he deviate from
this course once it is set by his conscious compliance with either of them – he
is then destined to reach the destination defined by his own actions.

The Holy Qur’an says that the Lord has shown him both these
ways. In addition to blessing him with eyes, tongue and lips, he also blessed
him with the knowledge of right and wrong (90:9-10). At more than one place, the
Qur’an reinforces that man knows both ways and it is up to him to choose
whatever he may wish; he can either become thankful by taking the correct course
of life or be unthankful by treading the path of evil (76:3). The Lord indeed
has inspired to him the boundaries to respect and the vices to avoid that lie
beyond them (91:7-8). The assertions of the Qur’an can hardly be disputed since
they depict a phenomenon commonly observed. The tradition of the majority of
mankind seems to be pregnant with narratives of how they have cherished the good
virtues and loathed the despicable ways of evil. The annals of history record
the awe inspiring anecdotes of the sacrifices made for upholding the virtue of
justice, and eradicating the evil of oppression. From a simple shoemaker to a
grand emperor each has made unforgettable contributions to the preservation of
virtues and elimination of evil. It is therefore highly improbable that we can
put down the assertions of the Holy Book regarding the human knowledge of right
and wrong.

Despite our instinctive impulses to comply with our
knowledge of good and bad, the Holy Qur’an enjoins upon us to remind each other.
True it is that we have the knowledge; we nonetheless have other frailties that
obstruct perpetual adherence to good. The Holy Book recognizes that to have this
knowledge does not mean that we have acquired a knack and that we are now
preconditioned to do good (103:3). For if we were conditioned, there would have
been no reward for us in the Hereafter. To confuse knowledge and even experience
with conditioning is to overlook the central problem in most issues facing
mankind on the face of this earth. Unless hypnotized, man will of necessity
carry out good works by his own free volition. To galvanize the volition into
the favor of good, one needs to be reminded constantly. It is a duty prescribed
for us – to help others and be helped in order to lead a life that is virtuous.